The Train-to-NZEB project is designed to establish a functioning network of training and consultation centres (Building Knowledge Hubs, BKHs), providing practical trainings, demonstrations and complex consulting services for the implementation of nearly-zero energy buildings (NZEB). Using the improved training facilities, the BKHs will provide enhanced capacity for conduction of trainings on curricula developed on BUILD UP Skills II, thus reaching a significant number of workers not covered by the initiative. Additionally, BKHs will offer trainings for highly-qualified building professionals and demonstrations for non-specialists with decision-making authority, which, combined with administrative and financial consultancy service, will result in increased capacity for implementation of NZEB projects in the involved countries. In order to reach this goal, the following objectives are set: 1. Development of publicly available Terms of Reference for the setting up of the BKHs; 2. Adaptation of existing and development of new training programs; 3. Actual setting up of 4 training and consultation centres (BKHs) according to the Terms of Reference; 4. Building of internal capacity through train-the-trainer activities, targeting at least 90 qualified trainers; 5. Actual training courses according to annual training plans, resulting in: (a) 120 training courses for construction workers, targeting additional qualification of 2400 trainees; (b) 24 training courses for highly-qualified building specialists, targeting additional qualification of 480 trainees; (c) 36 training courses for non-specialists, targeting additional qualification of 720 trainees; 6. Strict monitoring and evaluation for constant improvement of the offered services. 7. Setting up of a web-based networking platform providing facilities for knowledge sharing and exchange between the BKHs; 8. Conduction of a targeted dissemination and communication campaign to increase the market demand for NZEB projects.

There is a need to strengthen the capacity of Market Surveillance Authorities (MSAs) to conduct Ecodesign related market surveillance activities with respect to new and pending industrial and tertiary sector products. Especially in the case of customised products which are unsuitable for testing in laboratories. There is a lack of expertise, experience, and resources available across Europe for such kind of testing. An increasing concern is that new regulations addressing these products risk being unenforceable. The aim of the INTAS project is to address these concerns and provide technical and cooperative support, as well as capacity building activities, to MSAs charged with enforcing these regulations. The need for the INTAS project arises from the difficulty that MSAs and market actors face in establishing and verifying compliance with energy performance requirements for large industrial products subject to requirements of the Ecodesign Directive. The focus of the project is to support compliance for very large industrial products, specifically transformers and industrial fans, with the requirements of the Ecodesign Directive. The energy consumption of transformers and industrial fans is very significant and thus the risk of losses due to poor compliance cannot be ignored. The project aims to: a. support European Member State MSAs deliver compliance for large products (specifically for transformers and large fans); b. support industry to be sure of what their obligations are under the Ecodesign Directive and to deliver compliance in a manner that will be broadly accepted by MSAs; c. foster a common European approach to the delivery and verification of compliance for these products. The INTAS project involves 16 partners among them there are 11 organisations, which are National MSAs or cooperating closely with the National MSAs, targeting 10 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Italy).

The Project will extend the implementation of the Roadmap established and endorsed under Pillar I Build Up Skills project in Slovakia and the Czech Republic to middle and senior level professionals . These Roadmaps identified key measures for setting up a national qualification and training scheme and other measures for ensuring development of skills essential for the field of buildings to contribute to the fulfillment of the Europe 2020 energy targets. The project will particularly focus on key measure 1.3 and facilitate implementation of key measures 1.1, 1.2, 1.5 and 2.2 of the Roadmap endorsed in Slovakia, and on priority 4.3.1 and measures 1,2 and 4 of the Roadmap endorsed in the Czech Republic. This will strengthen the qualification of professionals identified as target group in the Roadmaps . The project will facilitate further investments in the skills anticipated in the EU Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe . Particularly the project will lead to: • Development of 5 education and training programmes for further education and training of middle and senior professionals in the field of buildings; • Setting up permanent network of trainers delivering the training programmes developed under the project; • Training of trainers for delivery of the programmes; • Proposal for financial measures to be established to facilitate and motivate middle and senior level professionals in participating to training programmes and SMEs to invest into further education; • Proposals to Slovak Government for incentives boosting demand for highly qualified professionals; • Reaching financing agreements using ESF for dissemination of training programmes. The project will establish necessary resources and prepare technical, organizational and financial conditions for training and re-training on energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources for middle and senior level professionals in the field of buildings.

The general objective of the project is to empower private stakeholders and public authorities in adapting and enforcing EU and national energy efficiency policies in the sector of professional cold products. A specific objective is to ensure more energy efficient professional cold products enter the EU market and increase their market shares, thereby contributing to the EU’s energy efficiency goals and policies. The product groups concerned relate to products cooling, refrigerating or freezing foodstuff and drinks in professional premises – from public buildings, to hotels, retailers, and canteens. These represent significant energy consumption, important differences exist between various models of the same product category, but, due to lack of clear regulation and lack of information, the potential for more energy efficient models remains untapped. The specific legislation concerned is the one regulating the minimum energy performance standards (Ecodesign) and energy labelling, as well as public procurement activities. The project benefits from ideal timing, since a number of the above mentioned product groups do not have an energy efficiency regulation in place, but these are planned to be developed and the project would therefore contribute to the knowledge of public authorities and policy makers on the specific performance characteristics of these product groups, based on which an effective legislation could be implemented and monitored. Target groups of this project are threefold: empowering public authorities in implementing effective policies on energy efficiency of professional cold products; motivating product manufacturers and suppliers in delivering more efficient models to the market; and working with the food industry, retailers, building operators and other stakeholders in demanding and procuring more efficient professional cold products.

TOPTEN ACT aims at empowering consumers to ACT: to purchase top energy-efficient products that will save energy over their lifetime. TOPTEN ACT develops a comprehensive market transformation strategy targeting consumers, manufacturers, retailers, large buyers, consumer associations and other key actors in 16 European countries, covering a combined population of 447 Mio inhabitants. It works with these actors to help them embrace and promote energy-efficient products, so that they become the natural choice for consumers. Project partners will: - Manage 16 Topten websites presenting up-to-date, consumer-oriented information to 2 Mio visitors per year. These websites will showcase top energy-efficient models in a number of product groups: domestic appliances, cooling and lighting equipment, consumer electronics, vehicles etc. They build on independent and reliable market surveys selecting the best available technologies (BATs) amongst hundreds of thousands of products. → Consumers identify top products, compare costs and understand the benefits of energy performance on their electricity bills and for the environment. - ‘Push’ this information to consumers through extensive use of the media, communications and partnerships with key organisations acting as multipliers. → Impartial information reaches consumers. - Work with retailers, leveraging on their unique market position, directly in contact with consumers about to ACT, to further increase purchases of energy-efficient product. → In just one click, consumers will find and buy top efficient products. TOPTEN ACT impacts are both quantitative —savings of 331 GWh/year triggered per million € invested— and qualitative: markets are more transparent, media report on top efficient products, multipliers relay the Topten message to their target groups, consumers change their using and purchasing behaviour, retailers change their range and highlight BAT products, manufacturers shift their production lines.